October CMS
October CMS: A flexible Laravel CMS with a free license, paid renewals, and a developer-focused feature set. Ranked #63 of 164 in Content Management Systems by our editors (3.0/10); pricing: Free plan; best for affordable Laravel-based self-hosted sites.
At a glance
- Editor score3.0 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forAffordable Laravel-based self-hosted sites
- Free planYes
- Paid from$312/yr
- Editorial workflowsYes
- Founded2014 · Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
- Facts checked22 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free license supports one project and commercial use
- Multisite, multilingual content, roles, media, and SEO tools included
- Laravel, Composer, Git, Docker, DDEV, S3, and CDN support
Where it doesn't
- Free license includes only one year of system updates
- Single License covers one project
- Less feature depth than leading free CMSs
Our verdict on October CMS
October CMS is a self-hosted content management framework built on Laravel and PHP. It suits developers, agencies, and organizations creating blogs, business websites, multilingual sites, multisite projects, and custom web applications. Browser-based administration, page and template editing, YAML-defined content types, role-based permissions, media management, SEO fields, plugins, themes, and API endpoint development give teams a developer-oriented foundation for varied web projects.
Pricing is structured around project count and update access. The Free License supports one project, personal or commercial use, and one year of system updates; the license continues to run after updates expire. The Single License costs $39 per license, includes one project and one year of system updates, and can be renewed for $39 per year. Teams needing unlimited licenses can choose $26 per month with annual billing or $30 per month with monthly billing, with Partner Program access included in both plans. Paid renewals are relevant for teams that need ongoing updates and related services.
Its strongest fit is for teams already comfortable with Laravel-based development and self-hosted deployment. Composer, DDEV, Docker, Git, FTP, Amazon S3, and CDN support fit common developer workflows, while Twig templates and plugin extensibility support custom builds. October CMS is less suitable for buyers seeking the deepest feature set in a free CMS, an open-source license, or a primarily nontechnical publishing experience. Choose it for affordable Laravel projects with custom content and deployment needs; consider an alternative when broader free-CMS depth is the priority.
Your product? Our editors can test October CMS in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
October CMS pricing
All 3 October CMS plans and prices →
October CMS fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $312/yr |
| Platform type | Self_hosted |
| Editorial workflows | Yes |
| Custom user roles | Yes |
| Multilingual content | Yes |
| SEO tools | Yes |
| Media library | Yes |
| Custom content types | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Email, Community |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | octobercms.com |
| Facts checked | 22 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to October CMS
- DrupalA mature CMS for complex content, editorial control, and custom digital architectures.9.4
- Webflow CMSA hosted visual CMS for structured content, dynamic pages, and integrated publishing workflows.9.3
- HubSpot Content HubA hosted CMS for teams that want personalization, localization, and marketing workflows together.9.2
See all October CMS alternatives →
Also Ranked In
October CMS is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Featured on iTechGuides
October CMS is listed in our Content Management Systems directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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